【推荐1】Drought is an increasing problem in our warming world. All continents have been experiencing more extended periods without rain, leading to forest fires and poor crop growth. Consequently, people are looking at cloud seeding to solve the problem — a method of encouraging precipitation (降水) by sending small particles of certain chemicals into clouds.

Cloud-seeding expert Arlen Huggins has been studying its effectiveness. “My earliest experience was to use cloud seeding to reduce the amount of hail (冰雹) in northeast Colorado. We didn’t have any luck with that, but we had success later on in increasing snowfall in Utah. Now, the focus is shifting towards increasing rainfall from summer clouds, which is far more unpredictable.” said he.

The problem is that it’s pretty hard to know whether precipitation resulted directly from cloud seeding. It might have rained or snowed anyway. Even if you cloud seed in one place and don’t in another, it’s impossible to know for sure what caused the precipitation. Also, it’s not during foggy and snowy conditions that people think of increasing the chance of rainfall. When a country is hit by drought, then cloud seeding isn’t an option due to the lack of clouds. During drought, skies tend to be clear with few clouds. The best option to prevent drought is to seed at times of the year when rainfall levels are normal or higher. That way, slightly more rain can be stored the dry season.

As cloud seeding is expensive and its effectiveness tenuous, its usefulness is still a matter of opinion. University of Colorado researcher Katja Friedrich says cloud seeding can’t end a drought. However, it can be beneficial, provided it occurs alongside other water conservation strategies. Still, for that to happen, the water would need to be captured and stored effectively.

There are also environmental issues regarding the impact of cloud seeding. At high levels, the chemicals sent into the clouds can harm humans and other animals, and some studies have found them slightly poisonous. Apart from that, some environmentalists are concerned about the long-term impacts, as there isn’t data on how much those chemicals accumulate (累积) in the environment over 10 years.

Another fear is that cloud seeding could potentially steal water from neighbouring areas by encouraging the water in clouds that would otherwise fall somewhere else to fall in your location. If one country uses cloud seeding to create rain, a neighbouring country will also be very likely to lose out because clouds are constantly forming and reforming.

【推荐3】Take a break from routine

Do you like shaking things up? Holiday time is a great opportunity to take a break from your usual routine and find new ways to have fun.

Sticking to a routine can be helpful, especially when you need to be organized for something like school or sports practice.     1     Taking a break doesn’t have to involve travelling to another country or having a holiday by the sea. It could mean visiting friends, exploring new places or even just spending a rainy day indoors reading.     2    

After many weeks of learning and the same routine, it’s not surprising that holidays are good for you. Author and researcher Elizabeth Scott says that time away from everyday life means you feel less stressed and helps you forget your worries. This improves sleep, makes you happier and builds stronger connections with others.     3     Unplanned adventures with family or friends, even in your own neighborhood, can bring you closer to others and help you discover new places too.

There are lots of ways to find new activities and give them a try. Place2Be, a mental health charity that supports schools, recommends getting creative. This could involve trying out a new recipe, making up a dance or creating arts and crafts out of things you find around your home.    4     Therefore, get active outdoors and go on a bike ride or take a trip to your local park or woods with friends. Finally, create a photo display or record your new discoveries in a journal.     5